Etsy Picks - Nautical But Nice

Well the sun is shining and the sky is blue - I don't know about you but if I wasn't working I'd be heading to the coast. Got me thinking how fab it would be to get married by the sea (weather permitting) and failing that how I could style a wedding with a marine theme.

I do love a nautical stripe, so am sure stripes would have to feature somehow.  Add a dash of red, a touch of navy and some decorating details inspired by a love of the sea and shore and you're off to a good start.

I had a snoop around on Etsy and gathered ideas like pebbles on a beach. From graphic design for save the dates and invitations, quirky holders for table numbers and place settings, accessories for the wedding party, to sailing boats, ships and shells to use as props for styling the venue there's tons of great stuff to be found.

I stashed my finds in a treasury called Tying the Nautical Knot where you can find all the supplier details. Pop on over. And check out my shop while you're there ; )

Simple - Succulents

I was pushing succulents and cacti this weekend for Fathers Day, but they're one of the more masculine things we sell, but they're not just for men.  Although they're probably not your first thought when it comes to flower arranging, they do actually make a very cute display.

If time, patience and fiddly flower arrangements are not your thing, then succulents are your friend.  Easy to handle and repot, unlike their prickly cacti cousins, succulents come in a range of subtle green/grey/lilac shades, are low maintenance and really long lasting.

There are lots of different types too - Echevaria, Sempre Vivum, and Crassula Argenteum are some of the most popular. Echevaria, one of my favourites, has large plump leaves that form a striking rosette shaped plant.

I like them in low wooden planters, zinc troughs, window boxes and vertical wall gardens, but they look fab in silver goblets, bowls and platters, and are fun in mismatched groups of pewter jugs and trophys.

Line em up or gather in clusters for a simple succulent display.


Images: magnetstreet, foundon8th, designsponge, country living, ruffled, catherinegratwicke

Grand Opening of My Vintage Shop

You may have noticed that the blog took a slightly different turn this week. I had been getting into a pattern and trying to stick to a bit of a rough schedule, posting regularly on flowers and floristry with more detailed posts on ideas for simple vases, and a weekly focus on classic wedding flowers.

But this week I was pushed for time and dashed a few posts off rather quickly. You see, I've been pretty busy, working on lots of different projects behind the scenes as well as the usual floristry and interiors styling. One of the things that I've been working on is setting up a vintage shop.

I've been a lover of vintage since I was a young girl and remember sitting at my nan's dressing table eyeing up her jewellery box, and pawing through her wardrobe! As a teenager I started to frequent the local charity shops, back in the day when decent well made clothes were still donated to charity. Later I sharpened my elbows at the village hall jumble sales, and ventured up to London for the second hand stalls at Camden Lock, Kensington Market and Portabello in Notting Hill.

If I'm honest, I should admit that my choice of University was in part due to the sheer number of charity shops in Preston. That and the jolly friendly chap in a little shop called Rags behind the Adelphi. On my first visit to town I discovered his gem of a shop. After watching me rifle through his stock with glee, he presented me with a black felted bowler hat to keep. I left with the hat and a smile and was a regular customer there for years.

That was a long while ago now, but although I no longer have the bowler hat, my love of vintage has never left me. So recently I started collecting a few bits and bobs, things for the home mostly, charming cottagey treasures that are a little bit rustic and a little bit country and I've gathered them together in my Hedgerow Home.

Pop over and take a look.

Images via (apart from Hedgerow Home) from: W Magazine, Kensington Market Archive via Facebook, Vixen Vintage

My Little Corner of the World

No flowers today, but wondered if you'd like to come on a little stroll around town? These photos were snapped in the neighbourhood on a quick lunch break, in between grabbing a sandwich and dashing to avoid a downpour.

There are some pretty buildings round these parts, if you take the time to to look. Exquisite architectural details, like those turn of the century leaded windows. Love the old advertising signs too. Malt bread anyone? Or straw?!

Most of all, I love this shops old tiled floor. This used to be a great haberdashery store back in the day. Now its an upmarket travel agents. I suppose crafts went out of fashion for a while - I blame the 80's and all those flashy loadsamoney types.

There's definitely a bit of a crafts revival going on now, and lots of interest in hand and home made goods. I'm hoping as a result that more habadashers will set up shop in town, cos I do love a bit of habadashery, don't you?

Gift Wrap - Bright Applique´

A visit to friend called for a little offering, and gave me an excuse, as if I needed one, to have some fun with gift wrapping.  I was tempted by the pretty packaging of this fudge by lovely sweetie brand Burnt Sugar. I'm hoping I get to sample this sea salt caramel variety later as it sounds yummy!

Being the lame-o slightly colour obsessive stylist that I am, I can't resist matching the wrapping to the gift - I just think it makes it more pretty when you unwrap the gift, if everything is co-ordinated (and yes my wardrobe is colour co-ordinated and I have been known to organise my bookshelves by colour too!)

I picked out a few bright greens and pinks, loved the spots and the striped sweet shop bags, but also loving this zany floral print wrap I picked up from a trip to Henley recently.

I wrapped the box in a bright jade green, as a base colour, and then had a look at what worked best with it for decoration. I liked the idea of using both the spots and the stripes to create a band of contrasting colour - but it didn't quite work because of the shape of the box. I would have been left with a lot of green on the top half, which looked too strong. 

Plan B then. Inspired by the bright floral wrapping paper, I decided to cut out individual flowers and create an applique´ design on the front of the box. This is a little gift wrap idea I've used for years and makes an expensive wrapping paper go much further. After a little play, I glued them in place with a glue stick, which is great because you can move the pieces around a bit before the glue sets, without making a mess of the paper.

Then, all that was needed was some cheerful ribbons to tie around the middle of the box to finish it off. I doubled on satin ribbon in clashing hot pink and orange combination. Rather than a traditional bow, I tied knot upon knot and used the ends splayed out instead of loops. Sweet.

Colour Inspiration - Peach, Coral and Gold

I'm really loving peaches at the moment, the colour not the fruit (I prefer nectarines) and I've been thinking about how to put them together with other colours. 

As a florist, and stylist I get excited by colour all the time as I go about my daily life and so I thought I'd share a colour inspiration with you. Today I took my cue from my jewellery box, some habadashery bits and some new stationery and threw together some pretty pics. 

Here are my top tips for using peach: 

• Turn up the volume a little and be inspired by India with vibrant corals and jade greens. 

• Pair peachy pinks with aqua and turquoise greens, and gold.

• Add warmth with a little earthy brown, and muted champagnes.

• Add interest to a simple palette with modern graphic patterns - like spots, stripes or chevrons

This could be the first of a new series on colour. I will look more at flowers, obviously as thats my thing, but wanted to show how if you're thinking about colours for outfits, decor or flowers and how to put them together, if you keep your eyes open you're bound to find inspiration is all around.

Days out in Oxfordshire - Greys Court

Sometimes I forget how lucky I am living on the borders of Berkshire and Oxfordshire. There are so many pretty towns and villages to explore on days off, and lots of grand country houses in and around the area. This weekend, I went for a look around Greys Court.

Situated in Rotherfield Greys, near Henley on Thames with amazing views over the surrounding Chiltern hills, the 16th Century grand house was a family home until very recently when it was gifted to the National Trust. 

Still complete with the original furniture, the decor has been sympathetically refreshed where necessary. The personal possessions, like tapestry cushions, embroidery and patchwork quilts, make the rooms feel really homely and lived-in and the kitchen was a masterclass in how to mix period (tudor/elizabethan architectural features and stone masonry) and modern pieces (like the fab teal 1950's wall tiles).  

Our visit coincided with a NAFAS exhibition. So as we explored the grounds and gardens, built around medieval ruins and a 12th century tower, I snapped a few piccies of the outdoor displays. Was really impressed with how well they had fared considering we'd had some pretty strong wind and rain in the previous 3 days.

The gardens are a real delight and include an all white garden, several rose gardens, and walled gardens hanging with wysteria vines. Borders are planted with peonies and foxgloves, pathways lined with lavender, and clematis hangs heavy from archways. Turn a corner and you'll find a wild meadow area and an orchard. I felt like a big kid exploring, excited to see where each doorway would lead.

The planting and variety of styles at Grey's Court has something for everyone (who likes plants and history anyway) and provides ideas and inspiration aplenty. 

The green fingered leave with plans for planting and those who are more romantically inclined might leave dreaming of secret gardens and moonlight clinches! 

Simple Vases - Natural Wrap

Bored of using the same old vase? Looking for a way to add a little rustic touch to your wedding? Wrapping your existing vases with fabric or string, in natural materials like hessian (burlap), linens and cottons is a super quick way to give your tables a country feel.  

You can either cut out a template and glue onto to a cardboard gift box and pop a vase or plastic container inside the box, or glue your fabric directly onto an old straight sided vase.

Would you rather skip the glue? - you could just wrap and secure with string. Stand your vase on your fabric and allow enough fabric all the way around your vase to cover the sides, plus 2 or 3 inches excess. Gather up around the vase, and tie at the neck. 

If you find the string is slipping, you could pop an elastic band over the neck of the vase before you wrap it - this helps avoid slippyness. Also tying on a corner point or just above the neck helps.

Think hessian alone is a bit plain?  Add a band of lace, cotton, wool or ribbon to pretty things up a little. This simple combination works really well, and lightens the rustic fabric.

Another cheap and easy way to DIY your own vases is to wrap them in string. I love brown garden string or twine but you could use wool, yarn, jute, or lovely thick macrame cord.

Knot and leave a long string when you start winding. Once you've built up enough string aim to finish up near your long string and tie firmly in place. Trim the ends and tuck out of sight. Again, if the string is slipping try double sided tape or elastic bands to help things stay in place. 

These are a nice alternative to low wooden container boxes for wedding tables and would work really well for outdoor or woodland decorating schemes. If you're holding your reception in a barn or throwing a posh picnic lunch these natural wrapped vases would be fab. They're just perfect for country bumpkins.

Images: RitzyBee, Elizabeth Anne Designs, Michaels, Apartment Therapy, Style Me Pretty, Justin Marantz, Shelterness